Comber



Oct. 23, 1951 J, 5 DUDLEY ETAL 2,572,122

COMBER l Original Fil-.ed Nov. 50, 1946 2 SHEETSv-SHEET l N BY Patented Oct. 23, 1951 COMBER John S. Dudley, Douglas, and Carl D. Brandt,

Whitinsville, Mass., assignors to Whitin Machine Works, Whitinsville, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Original application November 30, 1946, Serial No. 713,304. Divided and this application May 26, 1948, Serial No. 29,285

7 Claims.

This invention relates to Heilmann type combers and more particularly to the nipper systems of such combers as exemplified, for example, in Crockett Patent No. 2,384,603. This application is a division of our application Serial No. 713,304, for Comber, filed November 30, 1946.

The primary object of the invention is a much simplified organization of the components and associated parts of the nipper system, having the advantages of improving the combing action and also achieving such a smooth motion for the nippers as to reduce vibration to a minimum and permit the comber to operate at higher speeds than heretofore, all as hereinafter fully described. Other objects and advantages of the invention Will later be apparent.

In the drawings and for purposes of illustration only, the invention is shown in its presently preferred form, Fig. 1 being a side elevation, partly in section, of so much of the comber as is necessary to an understanding of the improvements, Fig. 2 a plan view of the nipper system, Fig. 3 a broken out view corresponding to Fig. 1 but with the nipper system components in a different position and Fig. 4 a perspective View of a part of the top comb and of its support.

At I is indicated the usual oscillating wag shaft by which the nippers are advanced toward and retracted from the detaching rolls 2' above the needles 3 of comb cylinder 4. The upper nipper, or nipper knife, is marked 5 and the lower nipper, or cushion plate, is marked 6.

As appears from the above-mentioned Crockett Patent No. 2,384,603, the path of the nipper jaws or, more specically, of the front edge of the cushion plate is, in that organization, virtually a straight line and slightly upgrade in the direction of advance of the nippers toward the detaching rolls. While such an arrangement is not inappropriate so far as pecing is concerned, the combing action is much less effective than that achieved when the fringe or leading edge of the lap, while the lap is still gripped by the nippers, is caused to follow a path which is more or less concentric to the comb cylinder. The effect of the latter is to more nearly equalize the penetration of the lap by and the combing action of substantially all of the rows of comb cylinder needles. In the preferred arrangement herein illustrated, the leading edge of cushion plate is caused to traverse a path which is highly eifective from the standpoint of both combing and pecing.

With the foregoing in view the nipper frame I is supported or cradled on front and rear supports in the nature of rock arms. At or adjacent its forward end the frame is supported by a form of radius arm which is pivoted below or on the comb cylinder side of the path of movement of the frame and to the rear of the comb cylinder axis. As shown, rods 8, 9, pivoted at their lower ends on the comber frame Il] (rod 8 as at II, Fig. l) extend up at opposite sides of the nipper frame and carry adjustable heads I2, I3 in which nipper frame gudgeons I4, I5 are supported. By adjusting the heads I 2, I3 on the rods 8, 9, the clearance between the cushion plate (which is bolted to the nipper frame) and the needles 3, can be varied at will.

At its rear, the nipper frame is suitably supported by depending crank member I6 (and a like crank member on the opposite side of the frame) which may be secured directly to the wag shaft I. Whereas the pivot center of the front support is below, the center about which the Wag shaft oscillates is above or on the opposite side of the path of movement of the nipper frame. Oscillation of the wag shaft thus reciprocates the nipper frame toward and from the detaching rolls. By reason of the dual pivotal support of the nipper frame, the leading edge of the cushion plate is caused to traverse an arcuate path (as indicated by the dot-dash line in Fig. 1) of which that portion defined by the portion A is substantially concentric with the comb cylinder, while the balance of the stroke is a flatter arc. Throughout the concentric portion of the arc the nippers are closed and, because of the concentricity, most effective combing is achieved; whereas at the forward end of the stroke the leading edge of the cushion plate moves outwardly, or upwardly, on a curve of greater radius and the lap fringe is thereby appropriately laid on the previously combed tuft. The result is improved combing and uniform pecing.

The nipper knife is indirectly mounted on the nipper frame, being bolted to the forward ends of levers I'I, I8 which are pivotally supported at I9, 20, on nipper frame bosses 2|, 22; and provision is made for utilizing the Wag shaft oscillation to rock the levers I'I, I8 in relation to the nipper frame, to effect the opening (and closing) of the nippers. For such purpose, the rear ends of levers I'I, I8 are coupled to the rearward crank member extensions 23, 24. This coupling is of such a character as to provide lost-motion, in one direction, to permit the required degree of forward. travel of the nippers while closed, and

to provide, also, a rm, resilient grip of the nippers on the lap, while closed.

Such a coupling (of which there is one on each side of the frame but they are identical) may conveniently consist of a stem 25, pivoted at its lower end on the rear end of lever Il and having pinned to or otherwise located adjacent its upper end a cap 26. Within a shell or housing 27, which is pivotally mounted on crank extension 23, is a spring 28, the spring bearing at its upper end against cap 26 and at its lower end against the lower end wall of its housing.

The parts are so adjusted that when the nipper frame is in its retracted position (Fig. 1) there is clearance between the bottom of housing 21 and adjustment nut 29, and spring 28 is substantially compressed. As will be recognized, the upward thrust of the spring at this time, applied through cap 26, stem 25 and lever I1, holds the nipper knife rmly engaged with the cushion plate. It will also be seen that as the wag shaft oscillates crank member I6 to advance the nipper frame, the rspring-closed condition oi the nippers will continue until housing 2 engages nut 29 and, in its further movement, rocks lever l1 in relation to the nipper frame and thereby raises the nipper knife from the cushion plate (Fig. 3). On the return oscillation of the wag shaft to retract the frame, the nipper knife is lowered by the action of spring 28 and its firm engagement with the cushion plate is insured by reason of the fact that, .following the closing of the nippers, the nal upward movement of housing 2l, in its return to the Fig. 1 position, compresses spring 28 and, thereby, increases the pressure applied by it to the nipper knife. It will be readily apparent that these nipper frame and nipper knife motions and their mode of control and coordination are such that they can be operated with a minimum of vibration and, hence, at high speed.

Finally, the described organization and nipper frame motion lends itself to an extremely simple mounting arrangement whereby the top comb is carried directly and solely by the nipper frame.

As shown particularly in Fig. 4, the top comb comprises a plate or body portion 36 the upper, marginal portion of which is bent over to form a flange 3l. The inner faces of the two side members comprising the nipper frame are slotted as at 32, the slots being flared at their upper ends for ease of entry; and the comb is applied to the nipper frame simply by lowering it into the slots. The top comb is thus located in xed relation to the nipper frame so far as its traversing motion is concerned. Vertically, the top comb is located by adjustable studs 33 which bear against the top of the cross member of the nipper frame and thereby hold the comb suspended at its required height.

It being understood that the principles of the invention are susceptible of embodiment in various forms, the following is claimed.

We claim:

1. In a comber including a comb cylinder, nipper frame and wag shaft, the combination of a crank arm depending from the wag shaft and connected directly to a rear part of the nipper frame, an upstanding radius arm connected at its upper end to a forward part of the nipper frame and pivoted at its lower end to rock about an axis located below and to the rear of the comb cylinder axis, a nipper knife lever pivotally mounted on the nipper frame, a yieldable, lostmotion connection between the nipper knife lever and a portion of the said crank arm, and a top comb supported directly on the nipper frame for movement therewith in xed relation to such frame.

2. In a comber including a comb cylinder and a reciprocating nipper frame and a cushion plate carried thereby, the combination of a front support for the frame comprising a pivoted member movable about a center located on one side of the reciprocating path of movement oi the cushion plate of the nipper frame, a rear support for the frame comprising a pivoted member movable about a fixed center located on the opposite side of the said path, and a top comb supported solely by the nipper frame for movement therewith in xed relation to such plate.

3. In a comber including a comb cylinder and a reciprocating nipper frame and a cushion plate carried thereby, the combination of a front support for the frame comprising a pivoted member movable about a center located on one side of the reciprocating path of movement of the cushion plate of the nipper frame, a rear support for the frame comprising a pivoted member movable about a fixed center located on the opposite side of the said path, and a top comb supported by the nipper frame for movement therewith in fixed relation to such plate.

4. A comber of the `kind described, including a nipper-carrying frame incorporating side frame members, characterized by the fact that the said members are provided with slots and that a top comb is located in said slots for movement with the nipper frame.

5. The organization of claim 4 in which the top comb is adjustably supported in the said slots.

6. In a comber of the kind including a nippercarrying frame, detaching mechanism and means for traversing the said frame toward and from the detaching mechanism, the improvement which comprises a top comb suspended solely from the nipper-carrying frame, with means for restraining the comb from horizontal movement relatively to the frame and means for adjusting the comb vertically with respect to the frame.

7. In a comber of the kind including a nippercarrying frame, detaching mechanism and means for traversing the said frame toward and from the detaching mechanism, the improvement which comprises a top comb freely suspended from the nipper frame, together with means for restraining the top comb against movement relatively to the nipper frame in the direction of its traverse path. f

JOHN S. DUDLEY. CARL D. BRANDT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,260,876 Crockett Mar. 26, 1913 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 695,336 France Dec. 13,v 1930 

